Survival of the Loneliest

Epilogue

Unfortunately Dear Reader, this part of Vex and their Collar Group's story ends here. You never know, there might be another story in the future that describes what happens during the rest of the Wars. There could be a story where Vex never survived past the first few weeks of being saved by the Cam Men because of the FourthState Protocol. What I can promise is more slices of life in the Emerald Trio one shot collection for definite. But to ease your pain in not having any more from this particular story, I will give you this gift. The final ending to Vex's true story.

Years and years later, a decade or two even. After the War against the Skib's and then the war immediately after against the Astro's had been fought and won. The Techfolk had spread out across the world, rebuilding and repopulating it as they saw fit. They hadn't needed any Core energy in years now to activate youngsters which was a good thing as there hadn't been Titans in a very long time. You and your Collar Group had decided not to make any units for yourselves until after the second war was over but after what happened right at the end of that war, you all lost heart and never bothered, You had the Emerald Trio and the Verdalite Engineers so you didn't miss out really, you and the Collar Group, all became their youngsters Elders when they had them which was nice for you, you at least got to teach some more youngsters about human's and how to avoid making the same mistakes the human race had made. You and the Collar Group had started to make a nice home near some mountains nearing the end of the second war, expecting to all retire there in peace, unfortunately finishing it after what happened with Roth..

Roth was the first in the Collar Group to have died, near the end of the Astro Skib War, he had gotten into a nasty fight with the last living Astro Skib who tore Roth apart violently, not even leaving shreds of his core self behind and leaving his Titan frame in bits that couldn't be repaired. Blue and Big Red had dismantled and cut the Astro Skib into pieces in retaliation for this, ending the War shortly after.

The next to pass was actually Lumin a year or two later. He had been trying to replicate something for you in secret and if only he had told you, you could have told him it never would have worked and he was being stupid in trying, even if all he wanted to do was make you happy. You were happy enough, he hadn't needed to do it. His lab had exploded taking him and everything in there with it.

Next up was Blue a few years after Lumin. He had still been affected by the remnants of the conditioning from the voice command that you had gotten rid of so long ago, that when there was nothing left to fight and you got injured accidentality he had gotten into his old Titan frame and gone searching for something to challenge and all he had found was himself. Somehow, for some reason you still couldn't help wondering about, Blue had self destructed in one of the mountains surrounding your new home.

Then came Big Red. This one fairly recently. He had had enough of being without the other two core forms, he was tired, his colour washed out and wanted nothing more than to see them again. One night he had fallen asleep in your arms, the next morning he was gone, his plasma scattering on the wind as you watch in tears.

Now it was just you and Bayer. Both of you old and getting worn out. You had to walk now with a cane, you were grey haired and bent over like the typical old person which you hated. Everything hurt and like Big Red you were getting close to having had enough. Bayer could tell it wouldn't be long for you now and he had vowed to stay with you till the very end, not that he would have done any different.

One day you asked Bayer if there was a way you both could go back to the old cam base sometime soon, have a look around, try to remember some of your memories there about the others that had been in your Collar Group, your memory nowadays not being quite what it used to be without reminders. Bayer agreed to this and arranged for Polycephaly to teleport you both there the next morning and to also meet up with the Emerald Trio to see them as well.

Hello you rancid ancient meat bag. Polycephaly says as he bends down to pick you up gently and hug you.

"Hello you rusty old sprocket. How's things with the newest little ones?"

They're very active, seem to take after their Uncle Mackie in that. At least they have Phil's sense, most of the time. And the twins aren't trying to kill Nik's triplets with their tendrils any more.

"As long as they don't get your foul mouth. Roth really shouldn't have encouraged you in that. He was such a bad influence on you."

Bayer says you wanted to go back to the old Cam Base? Will you want me to wait and bring you back once you've looked around?

"I think we might spend the night there. I'm sure Bayer can send you a signal to let you know when to come and get us when we're ready."

Sure thing. Come here Bayer, time to go. Polycephaly also picks up Bayer with care and with both of you in his arms he teleports you to outside of the old hangar where the Emerald Trio were waiting. After Polycephaly had set you both down and stepped back you started getting hugs from all three in the Trio. You hadn't seen them in a few weeks and you did enjoy their company, you always had from the day they were activated. After chatting a while between the six of you present, you and Bayer bid them farewell and watch them as they teleport away as a group.

Slowly walking through the hangar, pointing at the various things and talking about various memories, ones that made you laugh, ones that made you cry, and others that made you angry. Walking through the different rooms, like the mess hall, the old training room, the kitchen, everywhere you guys had spent any time in you visited. You left one place in particular for last though. Your old shared quarters. Walking in and looking around the sleeping area you get flooded with even more memories of the lost members of your Collar Group. Bayer stood behind you, wrapping his arms around your body as you stand there crying feeling the losses all over again.

"I'm so tired Bayer love. I miss the others so much, it hurts me to the core."

Let's have a lie down here huh? Have a cuddle together and get some rest?

"Yeah, sounds good. I think I'd like that a lot."

Helping you get into the bed and joining you, you put your head into his chest as he holds you close.

I love you Vex, so much. I wish I could've done more for you over these last few years. Wish I could've taken some of your pain away, I'm so sorry I couldn't.

"You did enough dear heart. I've been very happy despite everything that has happened since you guys saved me all that time ago. Thank you for taking a chance on this last lone human. The love I hold for you and the other's never wilted, never faded. And I do, I do love you, more than you realise."

As you start falling asleep saying this, Bayer was stroking your back at the same time. He knew when you took your last breath and when your heart stopped, nuzzled the top of your rapidly cooling head and initiated a self destruction sequence that would mean his personality and self would be permanently wiped and could never be retrieved, joining you and the rest of the Collar Group in death.

Notes:

So, this thing that started a couple of months ago I thought would only be a handful of chapters at most and at this time is the longest (in words, nearly 120k) ongoiing fic on AO3 in the Skibidi fandom. I am ending this particular fanfic here as i have other fics i want to write in this fandom and who knows, i may start a book 2 and do the astro wars with Vex and the Gang at a later date which is why i have left it how it is. The Emerald Trio one shot collection will still be added to and I already have the start of the next story in the works, it will be an AU of this AU so keep your eyes peeled for it.

I have loved writing this and am so grateful to you guys that have read, commented, given kudos/votes. Thank you all. I will confess writing this last chapter has made me bawl out a lot of tears but like i said, this isn't the last we've heard from Vex and the Gang.